Overshoe for horses.



R. WHITAKER.

OVERSHOE FOR HORSES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19. m3.

Patented June 8, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. WHITAKER.

OVERSHOE FOR HORSES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19. 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR W/TNESSE BY W74 5% 7 M g b JQgQ.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFioE.

RICHARD WHITAKER, OF BRADLEY BEACH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE NEVERSLIP MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

OVERSHOE FOR HORSES.

' Application filed September 19, 1913.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD WHITAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bradley Beach, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Overshoes for Horses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to overshoes for horses, that is to devices to be fastened to horses shoes in order to provide different treads. Such devices usually consist of a tread portion and means whereby it may be attached to the shoe or hoof. The tread is sometimes designed to prevent the horses hoofs or shoes injuring the surfaces on which the horses travel and, in such cases, is constructed in such fashion and of such material as will accomplish this result, as is well understood. Overshoes are, however, more generally designed as an expedient to, prevent slipping under icy or similar conditions,

and in such cases the tread is made to present or hold fixed or removable calks to grip the surface on which the horses travel.

The present invention is applicable to overshoes whatever the nature of the tread, but for the sake of exposition it is hereinafter described as embodied in an overshoe having a tread to prevent slipping, for which other treads may obviously be easily substituted.

The need of an effective, safe and easily applied device to prevent slipping of horses has long been apparent and many attempts have been made to produce a satisfactory article of this character. One difliculty, which has not heretofore been fully overcome has resided in finding a way of fastening the tread to the shoe whereby the device may be easily applied to all shoes (of ap proximately the same size) so that it will be firmly and strongly held in position without interference with the frog and without injury to the hoof. There are various objections to the fastening means heretofore suggested for such devices, one of particular importance being that the effective fastening means heretofore known or some portion thereof have, in most cases, extended in a plane across the bottom of the hoof from side to side or end to end and have thus rendered the devices likely to interfere with the frog and injure the hoof, and because of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1915.

Serial No. 790,631.

their specific constructions they do not adapt the devices for unsymmetrical or irregular shoes. Some forms of fastening devices for which will not injure the horseshoofs and which will take up very little room under the shoe, devices in the nature of bolts operating as thrust members against the inside of the horseshoe and connected with the overshoe so that cleats thereon may bear against the outside of the horseshoe have been constructed. The former type of these devices have the objections that they cannot be securely fastened in place and they are easily broken and usually complicated in construction. The latter form of device has not been successful, because it is impossible to securely attach an overshoe in place by relying upon a mere thrust, against the body of the shoe.

The present invention comprises means in combination with treads of overshoes for fastening the overshoes whereby the grip is on the horseshoe at only one part, e., preferably toward the forward end) and thus provides an overshoe, which is easily applied to all shoes of approximately the same size, and which is held securely and strongly in place without interference with the frog or injury to the hoof. Because of the peculiar arrangement of the fastening device in combination with the overshoe the horseshoeis constituted a lever which, when the power is applied to the fastening device, forces the overshoe fiat against the horseshoe and main tains the two securely in contact, all as more fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

The overshoe of the present invention consists generally of a tread portion and means for fastening it to the shoe. Connected with the tread portion and preferably made a part of it for economy of construction are means, in the specific embodiment now being described, in the form of cleats or catches extending above the tread portion and adapted to bear against the outside of the horseshoe at points in a horizontal plane above the lower edge, and preferably against the upper edge thereof. These cleats extend from the forward part of the overshoe upwardly and slightly rearwardly and therefore engage a portion of the outside of the shoe above the lower edge. Also connected with the tread portion and preferably made a part of it, for economy in construction, is a seat or bearing adapted to withstand the thrust of the power applying means of the attaching device. This seat or bearing is preferably located in a plane below the horseshoe when the overshoe is in place, and in the best form in which the invention can be embodied, at a considerable distance from the means bearing against the outside of the shoe. In addition to the tread portion provided with means to bear against the outside of the horseshoe and with a seat or hearing, there is also provided an attaching or power applying device operating in combination. with the overshoe and horseshoe. This attaching device comprises a member which is arranged to be connected at one end to the seat or bearing and at the other end to bear against the body of the horseshoe at a point or at several points in a plane below the plane of the bearing points of the outside bearing means. There is also provided means for exerting a thrust in one direction against said bearing or seat, whereby the forward outside bearing members or cleats may exert a thrust in one direction, and for exerting a thrust against the body of the horseshoe in. a different direction. In the preferred construction the attaching or power'applying device is provided at its forward end with a lip or shoulder to engage theunder inner edge of the horseshoe and is made of a length to cooperate with the tread so that it bears at a point in advance of the cleats; or the forward end of such attaching device may be beveled so that it may engage the inner edge or inner side at one or more points below the bearing points of the cleats. There is also preferably provided some additional means in the nature of a lock-nut to prevent loosening after the overshoe has been drawn. into place. The. operating means employed to exert the thrust in two different directions, one outwardly against the body of the shoe and one rearwardly against the front portion thereof may be of any suitable kind. Many forms of clamps, screws or levers are suitable for the purpose.

In attaching devices for overshoes heretofore known, as stated, the usual catches, clamps, stamps, and cleats are relied upon. These have disadvantages because of their bulk and because their necessary construction results in the production of parts which interfere with the frog and injure the hoof, and they are operated upon the principles of catches, straps and clasps. In the present invention the attaching device in combina tion with the overshoe operates upon a different principle than any heretofore em ployed in overshoes. The fact that the cleats engage the outside periphery of the horseshoe at points abovethelower edge and are part of the overshoe proper upon which the fastening device exerts its rearward thrust, and the fact that the forward end of the device is arranged to bear against the body of the horseshoe at one or more points lower than the bearing point of the cleats and exerts a thrust in an opposite direction than the cleats, involve a leverage action. It makes a lever of the horseshoe, the fulcrum being at the cleats, the power at the power applying device and the lever arm being the horseshoe itself. Because of the arrangement of the cleats and the attaching device during the operation of fastening, the overshoe is not only drawn in a straight line against the horseshoe, but is drawn flat against the horseshoe and in the same plane therewith.

The accompanying drawings show several forms of a specific embodiment of my invention, but inasmuch as any mechanical movement may be availed of to exert the thrust and different forms of bearing means may be readily substituted for those herein shown, I consider myself entitled to all substitutes and equivalents whereby because of the arrangement of the attaching device with respect to the over shoe the horseshoe is constituted a lever to force and maintain the overshoe in place.

Figure 1 is a .top plan View of a horseshoe and the overshoe attached; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a section along line 33 of Fig. 1, and illustrates diagrammatically a hoof in position; Fig. 4 is a section through line 14 of Fig. 1, and serves to illustrate the usual form of an ordinary horseshoe; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a different form of my attaching device; and Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view thereof; Fig. 7 is a section along line 7'7 of Fig. 5, except that a slightly different form of power applying device has been substituted; and Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section through an additional different form.

Referring to the drawings wherein similar reference numerals indicate corresponding parts, 1 indicates a horseshoe of usual construction having the forward toe-call: 2, and the heel calks 3. These horseshoes are usually castand are to be found on the market with the curved outer lower portion 4, although perhaps the curve is not so uniform and even, as is shown in Fig. 4. The overshoe to be applied comprises a tread portion 5, having the removable or fixed callrs 20, two at the toe portion and two at the heel. Forward transverse bar 6 and rearward transverse bar 7 serve to connect the two sides, the device being integrally cast, the forward bar also serving as guiding means for the power applying device hereinafter explained, and the rearward bar 7 serving as a seat or bearing for the power applying device. The overshoe is provided with the upwardly preferably rearwardly extending cleats 8, which engage the horseshoe at points above the normal tread, such as indicated at 9. The attaching device 10 comprises a forwardly extending portion 11 preferably made with a lip or shoulder 12 to engage the under inner edge of the horse shoe, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3. This forwardly extending portion may be slightly beveled so that it engages the inner lower edge of the horseshoe or it may be made in any shape adapting it for the purpose in view, the essential point of its construction being that it should engage the body of the horseshoe at a point lower than the point or points where the cleats engage the outer edge of the horseshoe. The forwardly extending portion 11 of this attaching device may engage the body of the horseshoe at other points than the lower inner edges such, for instance, as at the toe-calk 2, as is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. But I have found in actual manufacture that the best form of de 'ice is that in which the lower inner edge of the horseshoe is engaged. This attaching device has a rearwardly extending portion 13. In one form it is broadened where it passes under the transverse bar 7, and is provided with an aperture at this point into which extends a seat 14 formed upon the bar 7. The threaded bolt 15 is secured into the seat 14:. The bolt terminates in a head 16, which bears against the rear end 17 of the attaching device, so that as the bolt is turned the attaching device is thrust forwardly or rearwardly with respect to the transverse bar 7 and the overshoe, according to the direction in which it is turned, the ordinary split washer 18 serving as a lock-nut may be interposed between the head 16 and the end 15 of the attaching device.

In operation, the overshoe is attached to the horseshoe by placing it thereon with the cleats engaging the forward outer edge of the shoe. The attaching device, which is normally loosely attached, and which normally has its forwardly extending portion 11 resting over the transverse bar 6 so that it may be properly guided, is tightened by the application of a wrench to the head of the bolt. The fastening device then moves forwardly, its extremity engages the body of the horseshoe at a point in a plane below the plane of the points of engagement with the cleats and then as it is forced forwardly it makes the horseshoe act as a lever, the fulcrum point being at the point of engage ment of the cleats and the power being at the point of engagement of the fastening device. The cleats being an integral part of the overshoe and of the seat against which the fastening device exerts its rearward thrust, the overshoe is drawn upwardly into firm contact with the horseshoe.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 I have shown a slightly modified construction of the device. It operates upon the same principle as the form shown in the other views, but the attaching device or power applying device is slightly different. The forwardly extending portion is bifurcated. This construction is advantageous in some instances, especially when light shoes are used, as it prevents springing of the horseshoe, there being bearings at several different points along its length. The forwardly extending arms 11 in this instance may be beveled, as is clearly shown in Fig. 7, or they may have the lip or shoulder, as has the attaching device of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but both the points of engagement of these forwardly extending portions are in a plane or perhaps difierent planes below the plane or planes of engage ment of the cleats. Instead of operating from the extreme end of the attaching device, the bolt 15 passes through the hole in the rearward transverse bar and has two nuts, one of which is located upon the out side of the bar and the other of which is located upon the inside. The inner nut 16 operates against the bar to adjust the arms 11 with respect to the shoe, and the outer nut 19 may be used as a lock-nut after the device is set. As in the other views, the seat is at the transverse bar 7.

In Fig. 8 I have shown still another form of attaching device. In this instance the bolt 15 is in threaded engagement with the seat or bar 7 and has its forward end loosely connected in the arm 11. Upon this bolt there is provided a nut 16, which engages the end face of the portion 11 to exert the thrust against the seat through the threaded engagement of the bolt therewith and against the forwardly extending portion 11. The extremity of this attaching device may be beveled to engage the under inner edge of the horseshoe and to automatically locate itself, or it may be provided with the lip or shoulder, as is shown in the other views. I preferably provide a split washer 18 to serve as a lock-nut in this form of the device.

In actual manufacture, the combination shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is preferred because of the ease with which the power may be applied through the application of a wrench to the head 16, but the other forms shown have proved successful, and in the accompanying claims the terms fastening device, power applying device and seat refer, respectively, to the member 10 and its forwardly extending arms to the nut 16 or equivalent device and to either the engagement of the bolt in the bar 7 or to the engagement of the nut against the face of the bar.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to use in connection with any particular style overshoe, as different forms of tread surfaces may be employed. In the present case I have shown the calks 20 as removable, having the screw threaded shanks 21, but any form of calk applicable for particular uses may be employed.

lVhile in the best form of the invention, it is advantageous to so arrange the cleats and the power applying device that they exert thrusts in different horizontal planes, it is advantageous that the fastening device and power applying device be located a considerable distance under the horseshoe and in position so that they will not interfere with the frog or injure the hoof. In actual practice it has been. found that a straight line thrust from the seat or transverse rear bar may best be secured by using the form of device shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 8, wherein the transverse bar is provided with a downwardlyprojecting preferably integral boss 22 and wherein the rearwardly extending portion of the fastening device 10 is pro vided with the two arms 15, which ride past this boss and which serve to locate the rearward extremity 17 through which the bolt passes, in a straight line with the hole in the boss.

Vhat I claim is 1. The combination with a horse overshoe having means for hearing against the outside of a horseshoe, of an attaching device arranged to bear against the body of the horseshoe in a lower plane than the bearing plane of said first named means, and means bearing on the overshoe and on the said attaching device for forcing said first means and the attaching device in difierent directions and for drawing the shoe and overshoe together.

2. The combination with a horse overshoe having means for bearing against the outside of a horseshoe, of an attaching device arranged to bear against the inside of the horseshoe in a lower plane than the bearing plane of said means, and means bearing on the overshoe and said attaching device for forcing them in different directions and for drawing the shoe and overshoe together.

3. A horse overshoe comprising cleats for hearing against the outside of a horseshoe at points above the bottom thereof, a portion extending rearwardly from said cleats, an attaching device arranged to bear against the body of the horseshoe at a point below the bearing points of said cleats. and means for forcing said cleats and said attaching device in different directions and thereby pressing said rearwardly extending portion against the horseshoe.

4. An overshoe for horses comprising means for hearing against the outside of a horseshoe, a portion extending rearwardly from said means, a seat for an attaching device, an attaching device arranged to bear at one end against the body of the horseshoe in a lower plane than said first means, and means bearing on said seat and on said attaching device for forcing said first means and said attaching device in different directions and thereby pressing said rearwardly extending portion against the horseshoe.

5. An overshoe for horses comprising means for bearing against the outside ofa horseshoe, portions extending rearwardly from said means, a transverse bar connecting said rearwardly extending portions, an attaching device arranged to bear against the body of the horseshoe in a lower plane than said first named means, and means bearing on said transverse bar and on the attaching device for forcing the first means and the attaching device in different directions, thereby pressing said rearwardly extending portion against the horseshoe.

6. An overshoe for horses comprising means for hearing against the outside of a horseshoe, a portion extending rearwardly from said means, a guide for an attaching device rigidly connected with said parts, an attaching device arranged to bear against the body of the horseshoe in a lower plane than said first mentioned means and to contact with said guide, and means for forcing said attaching device and said guide in different horizontal directions and thereby pressing said rearwardly extending means against the horseshoe.

7. The combination with a horse overshoe having means to bear against the outside of a horseshoe, of an attaching device comprising a member provided with an end beveled so that the bottom of said end extends in advance of the top thereof, said beveled end adapted to bear against the body of the horseshoe in a lower plane than said first named means, and means bearing on the overshoe and on said member for forcing said first named means and said member in different directions.

8. An overshoe for horses comprising cleats for bearing against the outside of a horseshoe, a portion extending rearwardly from said cleats, an attaching device arranged to bear against the body of the horseshoe at a point in advance of the bearing point of said cleats, and means for forcing said cleats in a rearward direction relative to said attaching device.

9. An overshoe for horses comprising cleats for bearing against the outside of a horseshoe. a portion extending rearwardly from said cleats, an attaching device arranged to bear against the body of the horseshoe at a point in advance of and below the bearing points of said cleats, and means for forcing said cleats in a rearward direction relative to said attaching device.

10. The combination with a horseshoe having means toward its forward end to bear against the outside of a horseshoe and means below and in the rear of said first named means to receive a thrust, of an attaching device arranged to bear against said thrustreceiving means and to bear against a portion of the body of the horseshoe in advance of said first named means to secure the tread portion in position on the shoe.

11. The combination of a horse overshoe having cleats near its forward end and near its rearward end a transverse bar having a hole therein, of an attaching device comprising a threaded part passing through said hole and a forwardly extending part arranged to bear against part of the horseshoe,and a nut cooperating with said threaded part to exert a thrust against said transverse bar whereby said overshoe is forced and held in place.

12. The combination with an overshoe comprising a tread portion and means to Copies of this patent may be obtained for bear against the outside of a horseshoe and two transverse bars, of an attaching device comprising a member bearing against the inside of the horseshoe and passing over one of said bars, and means bearing on said member to exert a thrust against the other bar.

18. The combination with a horse overshoe of a tread provided with means to bear against the outside of the horseshoe, of an attaching device comprising a member arranged to bear against the inside of the horseshoe at a point in a lower plane than the plane of the bearing point of said means, and means bearing on said member to exert a thrust against said tread portion together with means to prevent said member slipping above or below the shoe.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of witnesses, this 18th day of September, 1918.

RICHARD \VHITAKER.

Witnesses:

R. V. BYERLY, ALFRED M. HOUGHTON.

five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

